International

The chairmen of the two European United Left political groups – in the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) – in both of which the SP participates, have condemned the decision of the Kosovo provincial government to issue a unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia.

Chairman of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left in the European Parliament, Francis Wurtz, and his counterpart in the European United Left in PACE, SP Senate Leader Tiny Kox, point out that the action is in conflict with resolutions of the UN Security Council. As well as this, however, secession from Serbia is against international law. It is also in defiance of a recent PACE resolution which calls for continuation of negotiations, rejecting a unilateral decision.

Kox and Wurtz urge European Union Foreign Affairs Ministers, who will meet tomorrow in Brussels, to "face up to their responsibilities. Either they support this decidedly dangerous act by inciting each Member State - as the Bush Administration is eagerly pressing them to do - to recognise this fait accompli, or they urge the protagonists to be cautious and to continue discussions in order to reach a negotiated agreement in accordance with international law."

The course of action of the Kosovo government could open a real Pandora's box, the European United Left statement warns. “This danger applies in particular to countries where there are what are known as 'frozen conflicts', such as Georgia, Russia, Armenia, Moldavia and Cyprus," said Senator Kox. "So today's decision sets a dangerous precedent that should be the subject of criticism from the international community."